More temple animals to be put down

Two more animals must be put down at a religious community where Shambo, the temple bullock, was slaughtered after testing positive for bovine tuberculosis, Wales' rural affairs minister has said.

The Skanda Vale community, in Carmarthenshire, west Wales, has been given formal notice that animal health officials intend to remove a young water buffalo and an old bullock.

Shambo was seized by officials last month despite a long-running legal challenge by monks within the community. He was put down by lethal injection and a post-mortem examination found further signs of infection.

Tests on five more animals at the community proved inconclusive and more tests will be carried out on the 54-strong herd in 60 days' time.

Wales' rural affairs minister Elin Jones said: "Formal notices have been issued to the community at Skanda Vale for two more bovines at the community to be put down to bring the outbreak of bovine TB there under control."

The two animals due for slaughter had originally tested inconclusive, but when Shambo was confirmed after his death as having TB they were re-classed as "reactors". This means they are considered to have tested positive for the disease.

The herd was tested again last week and five more animals had inconclusive results - two had previously tested inconclusive and three of them were new cases. Three animals which had previously tested inconclusive were found to be clear.

If an animal tests inconclusive three times in a row it is then classed as as a positive "reactor".

Ms Jones said Shambo's infection was "part of a worrying pattern of test results from other cattle in the herd at Skanda Vale". She said: "It would be irresponsible to allow a reservoir of bovine TB infection to build up in the herd, both for the sake of the herd itself and for animals in the surrounding area."

She said the water buffalo and the bullock needed to be put down "to limit the spread of the disease within the herd and eliminate the risk of transmission of TB from these animals".